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Proposal for rape victim to marry alleged abuser in Bekasi renews calls to pass sexual violence bill
A lawyer of a rape suspect in Bekasi, West Java said the client intended to marry a 15-year-old girl he allegedly raped to "avoid sins due to adultery."
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Recent public outrage over a proposal for a rape survivor to marry the man who allegedly abused her has raised concerns about gaps in regulations to protect sexual violence victims, prompting activists to call for policymakers to quickly pass the sexual violence eradication bill. (Shutterstock/TungCheung)
R
ecent public outrage over a proposal for a rape survivor to marry the man who allegedly abused her has raised concerns about gaps in regulations to protect sexual violence victims, prompting activists to call for policymakers to quickly pass the sexual violence eradication bill.
The Bekasi Police in West Java previously named AT, 21, a suspect in a case of sexual abuse against a minor on May 19. The investigation started after the family of the minor -- identified only as PU, 15 -- filed a report to the police on April 12, as reported by kompas.com.
The family claimed PU suffered from psychological trauma and a sexually transmitted disease following the sexual abuse and exploitation allegedly committed by AT, who is the son of a Bekasi legislative council member. The suspect allegedly raped the minor, held her captive and sold her to several men.
AT failed to appear at two interrogation summonses and became a fugitive for several days. The police eventually arrested the suspect on May 21 after his family took him to authorities.
The suspect was charged under Article 76D in conjunction with Article 81 of the 2014 Child Protection Law that prohibits forceful sexual attempt and abuse against minors, with a maximum punishment of 15 years’ imprisonment and a Rp 5 billion (US$349,493) fine.
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Two days after the arrest, the suspect’s lawyer, Bambang Sunaryo, told journalists that AT intended to marry PU as an attempt to “avoid sins due to adultery”. The lawyer claimed the marriage would not stop the legal case against the suspect, as reported by kompas.com.
